Celebrity Nutritionists Rely on These 14 Rules When Eating Out, and You Should Too

When you’re on a diet or trying to eat healthier, dining out
can be tough—everything on the menu looks so much more appetizing than usual
and making smart choices suddenly seems far-fetched. But, with the right rules
and mindset in tow, eating out can be a breeze. Here, 14 rules top
nutritionists swear by to keep overindulging at a minimum.

“Almost
any restaurant you visit will have a side salad option. Some are on the dinky
side, but ordering a double salad will take care of that,” explains Kimberly
Snyder, nutritionist and New York Times best-selling author. “Be sure you choose
a non-dairy dressing. Squeeze lemon juice over it or have a light vinaigrette
option on the side. Celery sticks alone are a good
option, too, if the starter salads are especially unappetizing. Just try to get some kind of raw,
green food into your stomach before the entrée comes.”

2/14

Hydrate
Before You Leave the House

According
to Shelly Malone, integrative and functional dietician and author of INFLAMED, you should make sure you are
well hydrated before your meal (or that first glass of wine). “Make sure you
have been drinking plenty of filtered water throughout the day and drink a big
glass as soon as you get to the table. Sometimes our hunger craving can be
mistaking for just being thirsty.”

3/14

Be
Familiar With the Menu

Celebrity
nutritionist Paula Simpson says to read the menu before you arrive to the
restaurant so you can pre-plan meal choices. “Studies have shown that you make
poorer choices and consume more calories when distracted.”

4/14

Think Twice
Before Ordering

According
to celebrity nutritionist Cynthia Pasquella, ordering two appetizers versus one meal might be a smarter (and more delicious) choice. "Portion sizes are so out of hand these days that I will often just order two appetizers: something vegetable-based, like a salad, and something more savory and warm. It’s a great way to add variety into your meal and avoid over-eating!"

5/14

Watch Your Water

Snyder explains that you should have water with your meal,
but try to drink most of it well before the meal comes, then take sips of it with
your meal. “When you drink a large amount of water during a meal, it dilutes
your stomach acid and makes digestion more difficult. It can also contribute to
the dreaded post-meal bloat.”

6/14

Be Sure to Snack

Malone says you shouldn’t be starving once you arrive to the
restaurant. “Have a healthy snack (like a handful of nuts or a small green
smoothie) within two hours of your reservation so that your blood sugar, and appetite, are in check.”

7/14

Slow Down

“Chew your
food thoroughly and be mindful of your meal,” Simpson says, explaining that your
attention on what you’re eating and eating more slowly will help reduce over
indulgence and allow your satiety signals to kick in. “Putting your utensils
down between bites and counting 10–15 chews before swallowing not only helps
prevent over eating, but also eases the digestion process (so you are less
likely to be bloated after the meal).”

8/14

Choose Your Cocktail Carefully

“The worst and most toxic drinks are the brewed alcoholic
ones, like beer, tequila and rum, which cause sugar imbalances in the body and bloating,”
says Snyder. If you really want a cocktail, she says to stick to vodka. “And if
you happen to really love your occasional beer, at least choose a dark variety,
which has more minerals than refined, lighter-colored options. The
carbohydrates in dark beers are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream, so
they have a less upsetting effect on your blood sugar level,” she explains.

9/14

Make It Yours

When eating out, I love to choose an
appetizer that is packed full of vegetables,” says Pasquella, adding that if
they’re raw, it’s even better. “Vegetables are a great source of fiber to keep
you full for hours, curb your cravings and bind to excess calories in the body
so they aren’t stored as fat. I also always ask for dressings and sauces on the
side or I take my own mixtures with me. In fact, I never leave home without MCT
oil and Himalayan sea salt to add flavor to my food!”

10/14

Forget About the Bread Basket

“Do NOT start with the bread basket,” Malone asserts. “Don’t
even let it on the table,” she says. “The intake of refined carbs will spike
your glucose, requiring a responding dose of inflammatory and fat-storing
insulin. It will also continue the refined-carb craving throughout the meal and
lead to bad choices. If you’re starving (and missed the snacking rule), order a
clean, lower-carbohydrate, appetizer right away like grilled artichoke, vegetable-heavy
soup, grilled veggies, tuna tartare with avocado or a small salad with nuts
and/or olive-oil dressing.”

11/14

Forgo the Fruit

“No matter what you do, don’t order fruit for dessert or a
dessert that contains fruit,” Snyder warns, explaining that if you do, the
fruit will sit on top of everything you just ate and ferment, causing
discomfort and bloating. “I recommend taking a little bit of dark chocolate in
your purse if you know you’ll want something sweet after your meal or you know
you’re likely to cave because the other people you’ll be dining with are big on
ordering dessert.”

12/14

Scope Out Proportions

“Veggies, veggies and more veggies,” Malone says. “Get
a salad as a starter (that includes good fats, such as an olive-oil based
dressing or nuts), order a veggie-side dish that isn’t drenched in cheese and
eyeball your entrée and eat in proportions of 50 percent veggies, 25 percent meat and 25 percent grains/carbs, even if the plating of it is nothing like that. “Bring the rest
home in a doggie bag.”

“Practice gratitude! Studies show that you
actually eat less when you take the time to appreciate your food,” Pasquella
explains. “So even though restaurants are typically fast-paced, I always take a
moment before the first bite to sit in gratitude. It also relaxes my body, which
helps to improve digestion and because I’m less stressed and anxious, I eat
less!”